McAskill History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The Clan from whom the McAskill family descends began among the ancient Dalriadan kingdom of the west coast of Scotland. Their name comes from an ancient Norse warrior name Askell, which means cauldron of the Gods and denoted son of Asgaill.
Early Origins of the McAskill family
The surname McAskill was first found in living on the Islands of Skye and of Lewis (Scottish Gaelic: Leòdhas), where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects. On Skye, ancestors of the McAskill Clan occupied the district of "Rubha an Dunain, " where the ruins of the family residence may seen to this day.
Early History of the McAskill family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McAskill research. Another 128 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1795 and 1863 are included under the topic Early McAskill History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
McAskill Spelling Variations
Historical recordings of the name McAskill include many spelling variations. They are the result of repeated translations of the name from Gaelic to English and inconsistencies in spelling rules. They include MacAskill, MacAskill, Gaskell, Gaskill, MacGaskill, MacKaskil, MacKaskill and many more.
Early Notables of the McAskill family
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McAskill Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
McAskill migration to Canada +
Significant portions of the populations of both the United States and Canada are still made up of the ancestors of Dalriadan families. Some of those in Canada originally settled the United States, but went north as United Empire Loyalists in the American War of Independence. The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw the ancestors of many Scots on both sides of the border begin to recover their collective national heritage through Clan societies and highland games. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:
McAskill Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
- Norman McAskill, (father of the Giant Angus McAskill) and his family, who settled in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia in circa 1830
McAskill Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century
- Benjamin McAskill, who landed in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907
McAskill migration to Australia +
Emigration to
Australia followed the
First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:
McAskill Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- Miss Jessie McAskill, (Janet) who was convicted in Inverness, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Emma Eugenia" on 25th October 1850, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 1
- Allan McAskill, aged 32, a shepherd, who arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ship "Hercules" 2
- Angus McAskill, aged 44, a farm labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ship "Hercules" 2
- Donald McAskill, aged 60, a shepherd, who arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ship "Hercules" 2
- Donald McAskill, aged 18, a shepherd, who arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ship "Hercules" 2
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
McAskill migration to New Zealand +
Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:
McAskill Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- Donald McAskill, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Nimroud" in 1863
Contemporary Notables of the name McAskill (post 1700) +
- Genevieve McAskill, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for Michigan State House of Representatives 58th District, 1974 3
- Angus McAskill (1825-1863), Scottish-born, giant known as "The Big Boy of St. Ann's," who came to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia from the Hebrides as a young child. At his death he was 7 feet 9 inches tall and weighed 425 pounds
The McAskill Motto +
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Spea
Motto Translation: By hope.
Citations +